Flashes
by Dazzled-Midnight-Melody
Summary: They say that in the few seconds before you die, your life flashes brightly before your eyes. It does, believe me.
1. Chapter 1

**This was written for the "I'm about to die challenge" my character was Bellatrix Lestrange. **

They say that in the few seconds before you die, your life flashes brightly before your eyes. It does, believe me.

I waltzed carefully through the battlefield, the sight of death brought a familiar smile to my face.

Just as I was positive that we on the side of the Dark Lord would reign victorious, I noticed, a small red-headed blood-traitor advancing on Dawlish.

"Interested in dying just like darling brother Freddy?" I called out to her, my voice filled with malice.

The girl turned and I saw the mixture of nervousness and anger that shined through her determined brown eyes.

I chuckled darkly, before casting my fist spell.

"Crucio!" I screamed shrilly, laughing maniacally as she withered in pain at my feet.

Seconds passed, and with each moment I gradually became tired with her worthless life.

"Avada-" I began, ready to graciously end her life, when I was interrupted by a plump woman I recognized from my childhood days as Molly Weasley.

"NOT MY DAUGHTER YOU BITCH!" The woman called with a fury burning in her voice.

Time seemed to slow in those last seconds I heard the Blood-traitor say the two words I had repeated many times in my life. However, I didn't see her. A flurry of images were rushing past my eyes: Picking on Cissy as a child, Andy leaving us, Sirius running away, being inducted into the Dark Lord's followers, hearing of the Dark Lord's disappearance, torturing the Longbottoms, rotting in Azkaban, and finally watching Albus Dumbledore fall from the astronomy tower.

A million other images accompanied these, but they seemed insignificant, compared to the others.

I reached down to my stomach, as my final act and felt my unborn child's distress. In that moment, I truly felt remorse.

Then everything went black, and I fell into infinite nothingness.

**So, what did you think? Remember this was un-beta read, so I'm sorry for any errors in grammar or spelling! Reviews and critics are appreciated!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter One was a success, so here's chapter two! Enjoy!**

"Bella! That's mine!" a young child yelled at her older sister, as she tried desperately to grab her favorite doll.

"Jump, then Cissy! Or else little Lyra looses her head!" Bella yelled back, her heavily lidded eyes bright with anticipation.

Suddenly the small doll was out of Bella's hand, and floating rather gracefully towards Narcissa.

Narcissa stared awestruck at the doll, when it finally landed in her hand.

"Did I do that?" she asked curiously, her blue eyes flooded with excitement.

"Yes Cissy, I suppose you're not a squib after all!" Bellatrix teased lightly.

Bellatrix didn't disclose to Narcissa that their parents had actually believed she was a squib and were planning on getting rid if her, if age didn't show magical qualities by the end of the week.

Narcissa hugged her small quidditch doll and ran out of the room.

Bellatrix heard her loud and clear when she reached their parents, "Mum, Daddy! I did magic! Bellatrix had my doll, and I did magic!" she exclaimed, her bell-like voice chimed through the dark house.

"Really?" Bellatrix heard her parents exclaim, equally excited as their youngest daughter, "That's brilliant Narcissa we knew you had it in you!"

Bellatrix smiled for a moment, she doubted her little sister would ever thank her for the help, but at least she wouldn't be disowned or worse.

Narcissa suddenly ran back into the children's play room, drawing Bellatrix from her thoughts.

"Thanks Bella! Mum and Daddy say we're having a party tonight!" She said, giggling. Then, as if an after thought she said, "You can play with Lyra too if you want." Narcissa seemed hesitant at the new prospect of sharing, but held out her prized doll for Bella to take.

Bellatrix nearly let Narcissa keep her doll, by claiming dolls were too childish for a girl as old as she. However, after a few seconds she took the doll, and pulled her younger sister into a tight embrace.

**Sooooo, what did you think? Tell me in a review! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Now unto Chapter Three! If you haven't guessed the chapters now are the moments that stuck out most to Bellatrix before she died.**

"Mum, Dad," Andromeda began nervously, her voice shaking a bit, " I've fallen in love and I'm getting married." she said quickly, her eyes darting from face to face in the silent sitting room.

"Well, that's wonderful dear! Who is the lucky pure-blood who's captured your heart Andromeda?" Cygnus Black III replied with great enthusiasm.

"He isn't. A pure-blood I mean." Andromeda whispered, as she looked at the floor, awaiting her parents' response.

Druella Black said nothing; she simply stared at her daughter in complete and utter disgust.

Cygnus, stared at her as well, though his expression seemed to be one of amusement.

"You kid, Andromeda! That was horrible of you, why my heart almost stopped!" Cygnus chuckled, his eyes bright with laughter, "To think that my beautiful daughter would filth our name by marrying a Mud-blood, the thought is laughable." Cygnus finished, nearly roaring with laughter.

Andromeda, however was completely serious when she replied, "Don't call him that! Ted is an amazing man, and I love him. This isn't a joke." She glared at her parents, a fire burning behind her dark eyes.

Cygnus Black fell into silence, his face gradually changing color until it appeared that he might explode. The man uprooted himself from his chair and was soon in close proximity to his daughter.

As the man grabbed his daughters throat her spoke darkly, "I will not have a blood-traitor as a daughter, you'd be better off dead." There was a wicked gleam in his eyes, and for a moment, the room was still as the party anticipated Andromeda's death. Cygnus prepared himself to tighten his grip on his daughter's neck, cutting off her airway, but then he faltered and found himself releasing her.

"Get out of this house and never come back." Cygnus roared, his face filled with a mixture of anger, disappointment, and disgust.

Andromeda whimpered, "Daddy, please." she said dejectedly as her eyes traveled between her parents.

Druella looked at her husband, and then her daughter, "Andromeda, just go." she said sadly, as she moved to place a comforting hand on her husbands back.

"Fine then," Andromeda said, suddenly angry, "I'll leave!" the woman held her head high as she marched from the sitting room, and slammed the door behind her.

Bellatrix along with Narcissa had been crouched by the sitting room door, in an attempt to hear the entire going ons in the sitting room.

Now the two scrambled to their feet and stared at their sister blankly, "How could you do this?" Narcissa asked her voice choked up by the tears that she struggled to hold back.

Bellatrix looked at her sister with disgust, she had walked in on Andy and the Tonks boy in a snogging session beneath the quidditch stands. The girl had graciously given her sister the time to come to her senses and forget her foolish Gryffindor, but never in her wildest dreams had she imagined Andromeda would decide to marry the boy.

Narcissa embraced Andromeda quickly, before Bellatrix pulled her roughly away, "Narcissa, it is not proper to touch blood traitors they are simply specks of dust beneath our finger-nails." She said, when Narcissa protested. Bellatrix glared at her now disowned sister with hate filled eyes, before pulling Narcissa up stairs.

Bellatrix at that moment felt her perfect family fall from the graces, and she made up her mind that Andromeda was the cause of that. Somehow, someway Andromeda would pay.

**So what did you think? I sort of figured that Bella started becoming an angry killing machine after Andromeda left, but that is just my opinion!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I love the great response from this story, so here's chapter 4! This one was pretty hard to write, mainly because I had to really think about what the induction ceremonies were like for death eaters. ( Plus, we all know that Bellatrix was no normal death eater...) Enjoy!**

"Are you ready for this Black?" a ghostly voice asked the young girl standing before him, she was only in her sixth year, yet the Dark Lord Voldemort was certain that she would be an excellent addition to his followers.

"I am, my lord." Bellatrix Black replied, her face etched with enthusiasm.

"You've passed every trial I have sent your way, and have almost proven your loyalty." The Dark Lord said calmly, as he circled Bellatrix, "Present your arm." he said, gesturing for her to hold out her left arm.

Bellatrix did as she was told, and watched as her master lifted the sleeve of her robe and pressed his wand into her forearm.

Suddenly a fierce pain was shooting through her body and she willed herself not to scream. The Dark Lord laughed maniacally, as a strange shape began branding itself into her arm.

The pain subsided just as quickly as it had started, and she struggled to keep herself from rubbing her newly burned skin.

"Here," The Dark Lord said as he chucked something in her direction, "To hide your identity."

Bellatrix looked at the sturdy object she had in her hand, it was a mask. She turned her mask over in her hands, but could not get over the lack of detail put into the design.

The mask was white like porcelain and wasn't carved in the least. She stared at it, and wondered if her master was joking.

"Put it on, honestly Bellatrix do you really think that I'd joke with you?" Voldemort's tone was light, but with a slight mocking tone.

Bellatrix lifted the mask to her face hesitantly. She gasped, against her will when the mask molded to the shape of her face.

Bellatrix felt the mask changing shape slowly at first, then more quickly, changing into a million different shapes before finally settling on one shape.

The death eaters around Bellatrix clapped, and they were dismissed by the Dark Lord shortly after.

Once out of the nearly abandoned pub a tall blonde, in her year, cornered Bellatrix.

"Congratulations!" Lucius Malfoy said, his voice cold and low, "Have you checked to see the shape of your mask yet?" Lucius asked haughtily.

Bellatrix frowned at Lucius, but took off her mask none the less.

It was beautiful; the original white porcelain glow was now darkened by onyx and emerald markings. The blank canvas was now shaped like a serpent, jaws open teeth bared. The main surface was white, but the edges where cloaked in a black as dark as night, and the best touch was the emerald stones that embellished the face.

Bella ran her fingers lightly over every surface, but suddenly the mask disappeared, in a flurry of black smoke.

"It'll reappear. When you're summoned." Lucius said, the sneer on his face growing wider, as he gestured to the mark embedded in her left forearm.

Bellatrix scowled, it bother her greatly that Lucius Malfoy the prat in her year had joined the ranks of Death Eaters before her.

The two death eaters made their way back to the gates of Hogwarts, as they walked Bellatrix wondered slightly how they would be re-entering the castle.

When the two finally reached the gates, Bellatrix stopped. Lucius however continued walking, and passed straight through the large thick gates as if they were simply made of smoke.

Bellatrix followed, and fought to repress the wicked shiver that was sent down her spine as she passed through. Knowing better than to ask Malfoy how they had accomplished that, Bellatrix remained silent and followed closely behind Lucius.

Bellatrix laughed quietly, when she realized Lucius had led her to the Black Lake.

"Fancy a date Malfoy? Or have you brought me here to drown me?" Bella asked, her heavily lidded eyes overflowing with laughter.

Lucius chuckled in response, "Actually, we're getting in," he replied nonchalantly as if climbing in an icy lake was something he did everyday.

Bellatrix raised an eyebrow, and Lucius tapped on the shady oak tree with his wand.

Suddenly a hole opened in the ground to reveal a shoot like contraption flowing into the ground.

"After you." Lucius said, feigning chivalry.

Bellatrix hid her hesitance and lowered herself into the hole. After taking a deep breath, the girl released her firm grip on the ground around her and shot down the ground.

Quickly, the ride was over and Bellatrix found that she had landed in something soft, she opened her eyes, and found herself safe in her four-poster bed, the curtains drawn around her.

Bellatrix quickly pulled the curtain open and looked around the dorm. Bellatrix was not surprised when she found her fellow sixths years fast asleep.

Bella yawned, exhausted from her night of excitement. The Black daughter had barely closed her eyes when she too, fell into a deep sleep.

**So what did you think? I really enjoyed writing this chapter, although it was also difficult in some ways. I know the masks were a little AU, but I had to add them in there. (It was hard to think of what a death eater entrance ceremony would be like...)**


	5. Chapter 5

**I haven't updated in a while, and I figure it's about time I finish this before I start working on a new multi-chaptered piece. So here's chapter 5!**

Bellatrix Black sat idle in the small pub located on the outskirts of London, somewhere not many a traveler dared visit. Prodding the innards of the shabby chair with her wand in one hand, she impatiently tapped her fingers on the table with the other.

_Lucius was supposed to meet me here forty minutes ago!_ The woman thought to herself angrily, if Lucius wasn't coming then she was _not _going to be made a fool of, she got up to leave, brushing her raven colored curls behind her shoulder, when suddenly a tiny man stumbled into the bar.

"You-Know-Who has been defeated, the war is over!" the man screamed cheerfully, tossing his shabby hat in the air in triumph.

Bellatrix Black cleared her throat with a sickening sort of kindness, before walking up to the tiny man, "Spreading lies are we?" she asked, her tone sugary sweet as she blinked back the rage that was building inside her.

The man visibly gulped before replying with gumption, "I'm not lying miss, the word is he's been defeated by none other than a baby!" his tone was one of jest, however, Bellatrix was not amused in the least.

"I can assure you," she began, before turning to speak to the whole room, "I can assure all of you, that the Dark Lord is very much alive, and is very much at large," she said, "to even speak otherwise will bring about the most painful of deaths." The Black woman's voice was cruel, and as if to prove her point, she killed the small man right on the spot.

Feeling satisfied that she had successfully proved the mite of her master, Bellatrix apparated to Malfoy Manor, to give Lucius a piece of her mind.

When she arrived something was off, the air was thick with an unknown tension, and Bella couldn't help but think back to the man in the pub, but quickly shook the thought from her mind; the dark lord was greatly powerful, so powerful in fact that he had defeated death itself many times. Therefore, it was laughable to her the simple thought of a mere child besting him in duel.

The house elf Dobby directed Bellatrix to his masters when she entered the house, after passing through the smoke like gate, "Dobby is happy to serve Mistress Black, in anyway," he said with a forced smile, and fear in his bulky hazel eyes.

Dismissing the house elf with a sneer, Bellatrix turned to see Lucius, his long blonde hair displaced with a frazzled expression.

"Lucius, be a dear and tell me what has gotten you so-," she paused searching for the right word, "distressed,' she drug out the 's' sound as she ran a long perfectly polished finger down his face, sending shivers up his spine.

"The Dark Lord," he said nervously, obviously fearful of Bellatrix's response.

"Yes?" she asked seductively, "What has our master to do with this, almost Muggle like look you're sporting?' she asked gesturing to his shabby apparel.

"H-h-he's missing." Lucius stammered, not meeting his sister-in-law's gaze, "There's been rumor," he continued, "that he's been taken down, eliminated if you will, by the Potter boy," with a shutter, Lucius grabbed the arm of the chair nearest to him, "I'm beginning to wonder-"

"What Lucius?" Bella asked, venom dripping off of her every word, "that the Dark Lord, your master, has been taken out by a baby?" he tone was clearly condescending, but Lucius struggled to justify himself.

"The house Bella, it was in shambles, by the time we got there the baby was gone, as was the dark lord. The other death eaters and I tried to call him, to find out our next move, but the marks…." The blonde man drawled off.

"What about the marks?" Bellatrix asked, her tone desperate, as she rolled up her sleeve quickly. Once the dark mark was in clear view of her eyes, Bellatrix realized that Lucius spoke the truth, the onyx emblem had faded, to a pale grey, and when she pressed her index finger to it, nothing happened, not the faintest bit of pain, _nothing_.

Screaming out in anguish, Bellatrix vowed then and there to find her master, or die trying.


	6. Chapter 6

**Erm, so I suppose I'm getting a bit ahead of myself and am currently just uploading at my own personal whimsy, but I have this idea for a Fudge/OC that's on my mind and I want to finish this story, so here's chapter six, sorry for any grammatical errors….. :/**

"They have to know!" Rabastan Lestrange said angrily at Rodolphus's inquiry to where his younger brother had gathered the information about the Longbottom family, "I heard from Fletcher that the Longbottoms were worried Voldemort would come after them next, seems Dumbledore had tipped them off unto something." He said with pride at the information he had gathered.

Bellatrix smiled at him, "Now Rod, I'm sure that our sweet little Rabastan has triple checked his sources, after all, where he to turn out wrong, I would be _very _unhappy, and we all know how I get when I'm unhappy." Her tone was filled with an unsaid threat, but she spoke as if Rabastan was a misbehaving toddler about to be punished.

Bella's eyes flicked to Barty Crouch Jr., the youngest of their group as of late, she had selected him to accompany the older wizards on the search for her master, as he seemed eager to prove that he was not his father's son. Barty of course was lesser than the other death eaters, being the son of such a renowned fool, however, she would make sure he earned his place as one of the Dark Lord's servants. 

"Barty dear, do pick up the pace; after all, you're playing with the big kids now, and I don't like to be kept waiting." Bellatrix said with a wink, at which Barty quickened his pace considerably and Rodolphus chuckled.

The quartet came to the Longbottom's shabby little light blue door and knocked rather forcefully. Alice Longbottom opened the door a few seconds later, her wand tucked into her apron, with the look about her that she had been preparing the family's meal. Obviously, the four death eaters weren't whom she expected.

"Tut, tut, tut," Bellatrix said mockingly at the young mother's surprise, "Did we not make the dinner party list?" her smile was menacing showing her unnaturally pointed teeth and crazed eyes.

Alice went for her wand, but the group was far too fast for her, did she honestly think she could overcome them?

"Stupefy!" Rabastan called, to which Frank Longbottom bounded down the stairs, amber hair all a ruffle, meeting the same fait as his wife.

When the death eaters had placed the two together, they lessened the curse, "Where is the Dark Lord?" Bellatrix asked directly, to them, cutting straight to the chase.

The couple seemed confused, "Your guess is as good as ours," Frank said angrily, "No one knows what's happened, just that he's gone!" he finished, his face turning red as his rage bubbled just below his skin, "Deserves whatever he got, in my opinion, scum, just like the rest of you death eaters," and with that he proceeded to spit in Bellatrix Black's perfectly angered face.

"You filthy little blood traitor!" she screamed, her raven hair catching fire in her wake, "You'll wish you never did that, CRUCIO!" she screamed, casting the unforgivable on Alice, laughing as the woman wriggled like a worm, screaming for mercy.

Bella gestured for the others to join in, to torture Alice in front of her husband, "Tell us what your order did with our master," she screamed, fighting to be heard over Alice Longbottom's obvious show of pain.

"I'VE ALREADY TOLD YOU HAVEN'T I? I DON'T BLOODY KNOW!" Frank bellowed in reply, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

"The cruciatus curse should loosen your tongue," Barty said, jumping in, clearly encouraged by Bellatrix's acts of madness.___"CRUCIO!" he screamed, as the jet of red light leaped from his wand he cackled, livid with what appeared to be pure uncontained malice._

_The four death eaters continued their torturous interrogation, until the insubordinate responses, where distorted to mere gurgles as the couple choked on their own words. It had seemed that several times during the night one of the Longbottoms would beg for mercy, offer up any information, mostly useless, so the four kept on._

_There was a strange blankness in the Longbottom's expressions, Bellatrix noticed, as they group left, almost child like._

_Returning to base was slightly disappointing; in the terms, that Bellatrix had no fresh news of their master to offer up, leaving the Dark Lord's followers no more hopeful than ever. Bellatrix was sure, however that Barty Crouch Jr. had earned his place as a follower of the Dark Lord, showing clear his need to serve._


	7. Chapter 7

**Perhaps I'm finishing this a bit too quickly; I'm almost distraught to see it go, so I think I'll finish it tomorrow. Anyways, after no wait whatsoever, here is chapter seven!**

"The Dark Lord will come for me, and when he does I will be rewarded as his most loyal servant,"

The words still rang clear in her mind nearly ten years after she had been sent to Azkaban, "The Dark Lord has to be out there somewhere," she murmured to herself, "getting stronger, preparing himself for his return to power."

Bellatrix Black sat, uncomfortable in her trunk sized cell, in her mind she knew that her master would prevail and rescue her before she died in the dark prison, but sometimes she missed the lavish life she had lived, even attending school with Mudbloods had been better than rotting in a prison cell for ten years.

It seemed that the Dementors where the closest thing she would ever get to a visitor, and although she was confident in her master, every day she felt herself slip a little more, as if she was now just a shell of her previous self. Of course, she had retained some traits, like her daring attitude and hatred of Muggles. Personal hygiene however seemed to be the least of her worries.

The raven hair once envied by every girl in Hogwarts was now matted and overgrown, falling into her face without even so much as a pin to pull it back. Inside her mouth, the blinding white teeth she had spent so much time taking care of where now decaying as though she was eating nothing but sweets. _Sweets_, she thought sarcastically, Bellatrix was lucky if she even ate anything, no less a sugary substance made for children.

This was perhaps the most drastic of things she had lost; Bellatrix had always had a pleasant figure, with curves in all the right places. What she had now, however, could barely be considered a figure at all; her skin was pulled tight against her body, giving her a diseased look, as if she would crumble at the touch, her ribs prodded out of her awkwardly as if screaming malnourishment, and her once enviable bust line had resided to nothing, as if her body was eating itself in an attempt to stay alive.

The jingle of keys brought Bellatrix out of her self pity, the Dementors glided soundlessly through the prison, bringing with them feelings of dread, the one guard who patrolled the prison, however, brought with him a warm Labrador patronus and a small portion of food.

With only one guard, it could be weeks before you got fed, the rain water leaked thought the needle covered walls providing a prisoner with means of a drink, but food, that was a luxury that came only from the guard. Being on her own private floor in the small cell, on the top of Azkaban tower, Bellatrix rarely got the comfort of a small meal, so when she did it was one to be savored.

"Black!" the guards rough voice called, the tone of disgust lingering in the air long after he had spoken, Bellatrix made a grunting noise, signaling that she hadn't died and she was in fact waiting for her meal.

The man chuckled and made his way over to the small letter hole that the few stale pieces of bread and crushed grapes would go through, "I've got news for you 10043," he said, referring to her by her prisoner number, a trait she loathed in the guard, almost more than the fact that he was Muggle born.

"That kid, the one who killed your master, Harry Potter's his name," he said his tone joking as he remembered, "He starts school today, 10043, already the defeater of the darkest wizard to ever live and he doesn't even know any spells, how cute!" the guard laughed at his own joke, his booming exasperating laughter filling her cell with rising heat.

"What do you think of that Black? Huh?" He jeered, as he tossed the food in. Bellatrix could almost see his sneer, one less deserving than the one in which she normally wore, one that should not be sent from a Mudblood to someone with blood as pure as she.

For the first time in the ten years she had been in the prison, Bellatrix Black spoke to the inferior Mudblood guard, "Let me tell you something, the Dark Lord is very much alive, as we speak he is out in the world preparing his army, one day he will come and release me from this cell, and do you know who the first people I kill will be?" she asked, malice practically dripping off her words.

An audible gulp came from the other side of the wall, and Bellatrix smirked, "That's right Mudblood, you and your whole disgusting family." She began to laugh madly once she heard the guard's tray of food clatter to the ground and his frightened footsteps take off down the staircase.

Bellatrix continued to laugh, her laughter making her troubles lighter, yet it seemed she was loosing her sanity as she did so, which only made her laugh harder, oh the swarms of people she would kill when she got out of Azkaban, but no, she wouldn't waster her first kill on the stupid Mudblood's family, no she had bigger fish to fry.


	8. Chapter 8

**So I guess this is the last chapter…. It's incredibly short…. I couldn't really think of that many things actually happening in this one. Oh well, here's chapter eight!**

The Death Eaters took their time getting to the astronomy tower, after all, it was Draco's job, if the fool was dead by the time they got there Draco would be greatly rewarded. The Peruvian instant darkness powder had gotten them past the three young students, but Dawlish and Yaxley had stayed behind to give them a little reminder of what happens when you go against the Dark Lord.

When she arrived on the tower, Bellatrix found that her nephew had successfully disarmed the wizard, but hadn't yet worked up the guts to finish it.

"Come on Draco, you can do it!" Bellatrix Black called to her blonde nephew, hoping that he would not disgrace her sister, as Lucius had.

Bellatrix of course knew about the unbreakable vow she had helped Severus get himself into, but there was a part of her that wanted to kill Dumbledore, the man her master despised, and if poor little Severus Snape just happened to die as well, well that would be less competition for the Dark Lord's favorite.

Shaking that thought from her head, she gripped Draco's shoulders; it was after all his responsibility and the task their master had given him.

"Say the words!" she hissed in his ear, hoping he would get it over with already, the inkling that the Aurors would be here at any second was getting stronger.

"Severus," Albus Dumbledore whispered, his electric blue eyes glimmering in the little bit of light that shown from the stars, 'Severus, please," he begged, his throat hoarse from an unknown cause.

"Avada Kadavra," Severus said, as he brushed back a strand of his overly greasy hair, his pained expression nearly disappearing as the old coot fell from the tower.

The group collectively heard Dumbledore's body break as it hit the grassy field below.


End file.
